Here we go, FY2012

Well, calendar year 2011 is about half over but in fiscal-year-land (at least where I work) it’s just about over. The new (fiscal) year starts on July first. I’m in the habit of paying attention to fiscal years because that’s the period we are evaluated for our annual reviews.

Nothing like a deadline to focus the mind and here comes one. And I’m asking myself the same questions I always ask at this time of the year: why didn’t I pay more attention to what I was doing up until now? How can I improve for next time:?

One thing that I think is the biggest thing I can do to improve for next time is to maintain awareness of what I’m doing day to day. When I’ve been able to successfully do that things have turned out better. What to do?

Well, I could set myself a challenge to do something all the time during the upcoming year. I did that once with drinking water. I set myself a challenge to drink nothing but water for an entire year. And I did it. I won’t go into reasons or results here but I will say that I don’t only drink water lately.

So here’s my new challenge: a blog post every day…. I hear you laughing. Maybe you’re right to laugh; we’ll see. I got the idea from recently re-reading Brian Eno’s A Year with Swollen Appendices. I don’t think he wrote every day after that year was up either. Anyway, there it is. Starting date is July 1st. As background material, I will read Steve Yegge’s post on why you should blog before then.